📝 Ingredients
For the fish:
- 4 catfish fillets
- 1 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice)
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
For the coating:
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- Salt & black pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
For frying:
- Vegetable oil (for deep frying)
👨🍳 Instructions
1. Soak the fish
- Rinse and pat dry fillets.
- Soak in buttermilk + hot sauce for 20–30 minutes
👉 This removes any strong fishy taste and tenderizes the fish.
2. Prepare coating
- In a shallow dish, mix cornmeal, flour, and all spices.
3. Coat the fish
- Remove fish from buttermilk, let excess drip off.
- Dredge in the cornmeal mixture, pressing lightly to coat well.
4. Fry
- Heat oil to 175–180°C.
- Fry fillets for 4–6 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan.
5. Drain
- Place on paper towels or a rack to drain excess oil.
🍽️ Serving Ideas
- Lemon wedges 🍋
- Tartar sauce or spicy mayo
- Coleslaw 🥗
- Fries or cornbread 🍟
